Camping gear sales bucking the trend in ABC council area

A recent study indicates, Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon residents are amongst the least likely to go camping in the UK.
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Northern Ireland finds itself in the middle of a camping craze. More and more people have taken up camping as their new hobby in 2020 with a 60% increase in camping equipment sales. Collectively the UK market has witnessed a 40% rise in sales.

However, the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon community have not followed the rest of the country in immersing themselves in the latest camping craze. In fact, retailers saw sales plummet by 25% in 2020 compared to the pre-pandemic figures. On a UK wide scale residents of the area were the least keen to get outdoors and hit the campsites, in Northern Ireland but were also on the second last spot in the whole UK ranking. Interestingly, the most popular camping equipment purchased in the area where 2 person tents and table and chairs.

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The top five council areas with the biggest purchase Increases are: Mid Ulster (300%); Mid and East Antrim (300%); Fermanagh and Omagh (156%); Antrim and Newtownabbey (127%) and Causeway Coast and Glens (86%)

Alan Jordan pitching a tent at Sunnyholme caravan site. 
Photo Pacemaker Press.Alan Jordan pitching a tent at Sunnyholme caravan site. 
Photo Pacemaker Press.
Alan Jordan pitching a tent at Sunnyholme caravan site. Photo Pacemaker Press.

Cotswold Outdoor have created an interactive tool, which allows local residents to select their home county and see how eager their fellow residents have been at going camping.

Visit https://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/the-knowledge/camping/keenest-campers.html

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